Does Your Tooth Hurt When in Contact With Hot or Cold Substances? A Root Canal can Help

A root canal is an endodontic procedure used to repair and save a decayed or infected tooth. Specialists at Charles M. Marks, DDS & Dental Associates provide an effective root canal treatment in New York to eliminate tooth pain, treat infection, and save your tooth.

Tooth pain can start in many different ways. In some cases, pain can occur when biting due to contact with hot and cold substances or a throbbing pain after a recent dental procedure is done like fillings or crowns. The intent behind a root canal procedure is to keep your tooth while preserving function and aesthetics.

Why you need a root canal procedure

The top part of your tooth that you see in your mouth is the crown, and what holds your tooth to your jawbone are the roots. The inside of your tooth is called a dental pulp or the dental nerve. The start of a cavity occurs in the crown part. If your cavity goes unchecked, it most likely will progress into the nerves. When bacteria get into the nerves, they cause an abscess, and an infection starts. A root canal can help save your tooth.

Root canal diagnosis

Your doctor should first complete a comprehensive physical exam before performing a root canal. Not only should your dentist tap on your teeth, but they should also complete a cold test to make sure that your tooth requires a root canal. The cold test is critical and can be completed with ice or cold spray on a little cotton pellet. A healthy tooth will respond to cold, whereas a dead tooth will not. Moreover, for an unhealthy tooth, the cold sensation may linger for a relatively long period.

What to expect during a root canal procedure

During the procedure, your dentist will numb you up with an anesthetic to prevent you from feeling any discomfort and then place a rubber dam. If you have chosen to have a root canal, a rubber dam is a gold standard for safety. A root canal requires the use of tiny and sharp instruments, which patients should not swallow. A rubber dam will also prevent you from ingesting the disinfectants used on your tooth.

The next stage is to remove the decay and infection from the inside of your tooth. Small files will remove any infection. Your doctor will clean and disinfect your tooth and then place a rubber material called gutta-percha sealing from the tip of the tooth to halfway up. Afterward, your dentists will place a filling to seal the deal.

Your doctor will place an additional crown on top for teeth in the back because there is an increased risk of fracture after the procedure. Your teeth act like wedges to each other and after thousands of cycles of biting and chewing, they start developing fractures. These cracks can progress through the tooth and fracture the tooth right down the middle. If this happens, the tooth needs to be extracted. A crown can be made of metal or porcelain and essentially acts to strengthen your tooth.

Once you have had your root canal, you will likely feel some post-operative symptoms such as swelling on the treatment site, which is normal and will go away in a few days.

A root canal is a procedure that can help save your tooth by eliminating your tooth pain and infection. Call the office of Charles M. Marks, DDS & Dental Associates, to request an appointment today.